Golf green trainer

Abstract

A golf green trainer comprises a mainframe chest, an immovable putt plate, and an electronic control chest. The mainframe chest further comprises an angular adjusting device, a ball sweeping device, a ball collecting device, and a ball supplying device such that users can set the angular adjusting device by means of the electronic control chest for adjusting the inclination angle of the golf green plate so as to simulate a real golf green surface. By means of the ball sweeping device, the golf ball which can not be putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds but remain on the golf green plate will be swept into the ball collecting device. By means of the ball collecting device, the ball which is putted into the hole and the ball which is swept into the ball collecting device will be collected for replenishing the ball supplying device. By means of the ball supplying device, the golf ball will be supplied to one end of the immovable putt plate for users to putt.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a golf green trainer, and more particularly, to a golf green trainer which requires only a limited space for the users to practice putting. The users are allowed to adjust the inclination angle of a golf green plate as they desire for simulating a real golf green surface so as to practice putting.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] There are conventional golf green trainers for users to practice putting; however, these conventional trainers do not allow the users to adjust the inclination angle of the golf green plate for simulating a real golf green surface.

[0005] Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 245976 entitled “A golf green trainer with a changeable green slope” discloses a golf green trainer which allows the users to adjust the inclination angle of the golf green plate; however, it is too simple in structure, does not have too many variations when adjusting the green slope, and is not very easy to use.

[0006] Therefore, it is very important to develop a golf green trainer which allows the users to adjust the inclination angle of the golf green plate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A golf green trainer comprises a mainframe chest, an immovable putt plate, and an electronic control chest. The mainframe chest further comprises an angular adjusting device, a ball sweeping device, a ball collecting device, and a ball supplying device such that users can set the angular adjusting device by means of the electronic control chest for adjusting the inclination angle of the golf green plate so as to simulate a real golf green surface. By means of the ball sweeping device, the golf ball which can not be putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds but remain on the golf greenplate will be swept into the ball collecting device. By means of the ball collecting device, the ball which is putted into the hole and the ball which is swept into the ball collecting device will be collected for replenishing the ball supplying device. By means of the ball supplying device, the golfball will be supplied to one end of the immovable putt plate for users to putt.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf green trainer which allows the users to adjust the inclination angle of the golf green plate as they desire for simulating a real golf green surface.

[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf green trainer which requires only a limited space for the users to practice putting a golf ball on the green.

[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf green trainer which can sweep the ball remaining on the golf green plate and further collect and supply the ball for the users for practice.

[0011] It is still an object of the present invention to provide a golf green trainer which can collect the ball putted to the out-of-bounds and supply the ball for the users to practice.

[0012] It is yet an object of the present invention to provide a golf green trainer which is simple to be operated and can display the practice score such as the number of balls passing through and the number of balls putted into the hole so as to increase the interest of practice.

[0013] These and other attributes of the present invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the mainframe chest and the golf green plate of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 shows the assembly of the mainframe chest and the golf green plate of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 5 shows the assembly of angular adjusting device of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates the process of angle adjustment according to the angular adjusting device shown in FIG. 5;

[0020] FIG. 7 shows the assembly of ball sweeping device of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 8 shows the sweeping rod assembly of the ball sweeping device shown in FIG. 7;

[0022] FIG. 9 shows the power transmission assembly of the ball sweeping device shown in FIG. 7;

[0023] FIG. 10 shows the assembly of ball collecting device of the golf green trainer according to the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates the process of ball collection according to the ball collecting device shown in FIG. 10;

[0025] FIG. 12 shows the assembly of ball supplying device of the golf green trainer according to the present invention, wherein the ball elevating arm has not begun to elevate a ball yet;

[0026] FIG. 13 shows partial enlargement of the ball supplying device of the golf green trainer according to the present invention, wherein the ball elevating arm has finished to elevate a ball;

[0027] FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are schematic diagrams showing a golf ball is supplied by the ball supplying device; and

[0028] FIG. 16 shows the practical applications of the golf green trainer according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 16A shows a golf ball rolling up the golf green, FIG. 16B shows a golf ball putted behind the hole and rolling down the golf green, FIG. 16C shows a golf ball being swept by the ball sweeping device, and FIG. 16D shows a golf ball supplied to a user by the ball supplying device.

[0029] Description of the Reference Numerals

[0030] 1 golf green trainer

[0031] 2 golf ball

[0032] 3 ambient lighting cover

[0033] 4 mainframe chest

[0034] 5 electronic control chest

[0035] 6 immovable putt plate

[0036] 7 pedal

[0037] 8 golf green plate

[0038] 9 photoelectric sensor

[0039] 11 rocking lever

[0040] 12 pivot axle

[0041] 13 joint

[0042] 14 link

[0043] 15 cam

[0044] 16 first motor

[0045] 17 first micro switch

[0046] 41 first chassis

[0047] 42 set of rollers

[0048] 43 sweeping rod

[0049] 44 touching block

[0050] 45 second chassis

[0051] 46 second motor

[0052] 47 driving sprocket

[0053] 48 idle sprocket

[0054] 49 driven sprocket

[0055] 50 endless chain

[0056] 51 carrying rod

[0057] 52 second micro switch

[0058] 53 slideway

[0059] 54 platform

[0060] 61 middle groove

[0061] 62 third micro switch

[0062] 63 east groove

[0063] 64 forth micro switch

[0064] 65 north groove

[0065] 66 west groove

[0066] 67 fifth micro switch

[0067] 68 south groove

[0068] 69 turn groove

[0069] 71 third motor

[0070] 72 crank

[0071] 73 ball supplying arm

[0072] 74 supporter

[0073] 75 first spring

[0074] 76 ball supplying groove

[0075] 77 damping plate

[0076] 78 second spring

[0077] 79 ball feeding hood

[0078] 80 sixth micro switch

[0079] 81 ball holder

[0080] 91 angular adjusting device

[0081] 92 ball sweeping device

[0082] 93 ball collecting device

[0083] 94 ball supplying device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0084] Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4. The golf green trainer 1 according to the present invention comprises a mainframe chest 4 including a golf green plate 8 mounted thereon with a hole disposed at one end for receiving the golf ball 2 and a photoelectric sensor 9 installed at the other end for detecting the golf ball 2 passing through, an immovable putt plate 6 extended from one end of the mainframe chest 4 for users to putt the golf ball 2 placed thereon, and an electronic control chest 5 disposed on one side of the mainframe chest 4. The mainframe chest 4 further comprises an angular adjusting device 91, a ball sweeping device 92, a ball collecting device 93, and a ball supplying device 94 such that users can set the angular adjusting device 91 by means of the electronic control chest 5 for adjusting the inclination angle of the golf green plate 8 so as to simulate a real golf green surface, by means of the ball sweeping device 92, the golf ball 2 which can not be putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds but remain on the golf green plate 8 will be swept into the ball collecting device 93, by means of the ball collecting device 93, the golf ball 2 which is putted into the hole and the golf ball 2 which is swept into the ball collecting device 93 will be collected for replenishing the ball supplying device 94, and by means of the ball supplying device 94, the golf ball 2 will be supplied to one end of the immovable putt plate 6 for users to putt.

[0085] Please refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The angular adjusting device 91 comprises a rocking lever 11 beneath the golf green plate 8 for supporting and rocking the golf green plate 8, a pivot axle 12 disposed at the middle of the rocking lever 11 for the rocking lever 11 to pivot thereon, a joint 13 installed at one end of the rocking lever 11, a link 14 connecting the joint 13 at a first end and a cam 15 at a second end, a cam 15 connected to the shaft of the first motor 16 having a lower point L and a higher point H for carrying the second end of the link 14 to move between a lower position and a higher position, and a first motor 16 controlled by a first micro switch 17 which is electrically connected to the electronic control chest 5 such that users can operate the first motor 16 by means of the first micro switch 17 through the electronic control chest 5 to rotate the cam 15 between the lower point L and the higher point H, then drive the link 14 and the rocking lever 11, and consequently, the golf green plate 8 can be changed with a desired angle.

[0086] Please refer to FIG. 7 to FIG. 9. The ball sweeping device 92 comprises a sweeping rod carrier part and a power transmission part. The sweeping rod carrier part carries the sweeping rod 43 to move forward and backward on two parallel slideways 53. The sweeping rod carrier part furthermore comprises a first chassis 41 with one set of rollers 42 on a first side and another set of rollers 42 on a second side opposed to the first side for rolling on the two parallel slideways 53, a sweeping rod 43 installed on the top of the first chassis 41 for sweeping the golf ball 2, and a touching block 44 mounted beneath one end of the sweeping rod 43 for touching a second micro switch 52 so as to control a second motor 46. The power transmission part furthermore comprises a second chassis 45 having two parallel slideways 53 and a platform 54 for the sweeping rod carrier part to slide thereon, a driving sprocket 47 installed at one end of the second chassis 45 and connected to the shaft of the second motor 46, a driven sprocket 49 installed at the other end of the second chassis 45, an endless chain 50 driven by the driving sprocket 47 and moving around the driving sprocket 47 and the driven sprocket 49, an idle sprocket 48 provided between the driving sprocket 47 and the driven sprocket 49 for stretching and adjusting the endless chain 50, and a carrying rod 51 fixed on the endless chain 50 and coupled with the first chassis 41 for carrying the sweeping rod carrier part such that a timer will begin to count time right after a golf ball is putted and passes through a photoelectric sensor 9, and if the golf ball 2 is not putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds within a time period, the second motor 46 will be energized to drive the endless chain 50 and then the sweeping rod carrier part to sweep the golf ball 2 with the sweeping rod 43.

[0087] Please refer to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. The ball collecting device 93 comprises a middle groove 61 disposed below the hole and a third micro switch 62 installed thereon for identifying the golf ball 2 passing through the middle groove 61 into the hole, an east groove 63 disposed between the immovable putt plate 6 and the east side of the golf green plate 8 and a forth micro switch 64 installed thereon for identifying the golf ball 2 passing through the east groove 63 to the out-of-bounds, a west groove 66 disposed between the immovable putt plate 6 and the west side of the golf green plate 8 and a fifth micro switch 67 installed thereon for identifying the golf ball 2 passing through the west groove 66 to the out-of-bounds, a north groove 65 disposed between the immovable putt plate 6 and the north side of the golf green plate 8 for guiding the golf ball 2 to the east groove 63 or the west groove 66, a south groove 68 disposed on the south side of and below the golf green plate 8 for guiding the golf ball 2 coming from the middle groove 61 and the west groove 66, and a turn groove 69 disposed below the golf green plate 8 for guiding the golf ball 2 coming from the east groove 63 and the south groove 68 to the ball supplying device 94.

[0088] Please refer to FIG. 12 to FIG. 15. The ball supplying device 94 comprises a third motor 71 fixed on the mainframe chest 4, a crank 72 with one end connected to the shaft of the third motor 71 and the other end to the ball supplying arm 73, a ball supplying arm 73 with one end having a ball holder 81 and the other end pivotally connecting to a supporter 74 fixed on the mainframe chest 4, a first spring 75 connecting the ball supplying arm 73 and the supporter 74, a ball supplying groove 76 fixed on the mainframe chest 4 for guiding the golf ball 2 from the ball holder 81 to the immovable putt plate 6 so as to supply the golf ball 2 to the user, a damping plate 77 whose middle point is pivotally connected to the ball feeding hood 79 and a first end is disposed below the ball holder 81 and a second end connects to a second spring 78 mounted on the mainframe chest 4 so as to damp the ball holder 81 falling down, a ball feeding hood 79 fixed on the mainframe chest 4 for helping the golf ball 2 to enter the ball holder 81, and a sixth micro switch 80 installed on the ball supplying groove 76 for determining whether it is necessary or not to supply further a ball.

[0089] Please refer to the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 again. The golf green trainer according to the present invention can additionally comprise an ambient lighting cover 3. The ambient lighting cover 3 is disposed above the mainframe chest 4 and the golf green plate 8 to prevent the photoelectric sensor 9 from being interrupted by persons or moving objects near by so as to assure the photoelectric sensor 9 can accurately detect the golf ball 2 passing through.

[0090] Please refer to the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 one more time. The golf green trainer according to the present invention can additionally comprise a pedal 7 installed beside one end and at the same level of the immovable putt plate 6 for the user stepping thereon while putting a golf ball 2.

[0091] In the golf green trainer according to the present invention, the photoelectric sensor 9 can also be employed to count the number of balls passing through, and the third micro switch 62 can be employed to count the number of balls putted into the hole. A display device (not shown) can be further installed on the electronic control chest 5 for displaying the number of balls passing through and the number of balls putted into the hole.

[0092] Please refer to FIG. 16A to FIG. 16D, which show the practical applications of the golf green trainer 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 16A shows a golf ball rolling up the golf green, FIG. 16B shows a golf ball putted behind the hole and rolling down the golf green, FIG. 16C shows a golf ball being swept by the ball sweeping device, and FIG. 16D shows a golf ball supplied to a user by the ball supplying device.

Claims

1. A golf green trainer comprising:

a mainframe chest including a golf green plate mounted thereon with a hole disposed at one end for receiving a golf ball and a photoelectric sensor installed at the other end for detecting the golf ball passing through;

an immovable putt plate extended from one end of the mainframe chest for users to putt the golf ball placed thereon; and

an electronic control chest disposed on one side of the mainframe chest;

wherein the mainframe chest further comprises an angular adjusting device, a ball sweeping device, a ball collecting device, and a ball supplying device such that users can set the angular adjusting device by means of the electronic control chest for adjusting the inclination angle of the golf green plate so as to simulate a real golf green surface; by means of the ball sweeping device, the golf ball which can not be putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds but remain on the golf green plate will be swept into the ball collecting device; by means of the ball collecting device, the golf ball which is putted into the hole and the golf ball which is swept into the ball collecting device will be collected for replenishing the ball supplying device; by means of the ball supplying device, the golf ball will be supplied to one end of the immovable putt plate for users to putt.

2. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angular adjusting device comprises:

a rocking lever beneath the golf green plate for supporting and rocking the golf green plate;

pivot axle disposed at the middle of the rocking lever for the rocking lever to pivot thereon;

a joint installed at one end of the rocking lever;

a link connecting the joint at a first end and a cam at a second end;

a cam connected to the shaft of a first motor having a lower point and a higher point for carrying the second end of the link to move between a lower position and a higher position; and

a first motor controlled by a first micro switch which is electrically connected to the electronic control chest such that users can operate the first motor by means of the first micro switch through the electronic control chest to rotate the cam between the lower point and the higher point then drive the link and the rocking lever, and consequently, the golf green plate can be changed with a desired angle.

3. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball sweeping device comprises:

a sweeping rod carrier part which carries the sweeping rod to move forward and backward on two parallel slideways, the sweeping rod carrier part furthermore comprises:

a first chassis with one set of rollers on a first side and another set of rollers on a second side opposed to the first side for rolling on the two parallel slideways;

a sweeping rod installed on the top of the first chassis for sweeping the golf ball; and

a touching block mounted beneath one end of the sweeping rod for touching a second micro switch so as to control a second motor; and

a power transmission part, the power transmission part furthermore comprises:

a second chassis having two parallel slideways and a platform for the sweeping rod carrier part to slide thereon;

a driving sprocket installed at one end of the second chassis and connected to the shaft of the second motor;

a driven sprocket installed at the other end of the second chassis;

an endless chain driven by the driving sprocket and moving around the driving sprocket and the driven sprocket;

an idle sprocket provided between the driving sprocket and the driven sprocket for stretching and adjusting the endless chain; and

a carrying rod fixed on the endless chain and coupled with the first chassis for carrying the sweeping rod carrier part such that a timer will begin to count time right after a golf ball is putted and passes through the photoelectric sensor, and if the golf ball is not putted into the hole nor to the out-of-bounds within a time period, the second motor will be energized to drive the endless chain and then the sweeping rod carrier part to sweep the golf ball with the sweeping rod.

4. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball collecting device comprises:

a middle groove disposed below the hole, and a third micro switch installed thereon for identifying the golf ball passing through the middle groove into the hole;

an east groove disposed between the immovable putt plate and the east side of the golf green plate, and a forth micro switch installed thereon for identifying the golf ball passing through the east groove to the out-of-bounds;

a west groove disposed between the immovable putt plate and the west side of the golf green plate, and a fifth micro switch installed thereon for identifying the golf ball passing through the west groove to the out-of-bounds;

a north groove disposed between the immovable putt plate and the north side of the golf green plate for guiding the golf ball to the east groove or the west groove;

a south groove disposed on the south side of and below the golf green plate for guiding the golf ball coming from the middle groove and the west groove; and

a turn groove disposed below the golf green plate for guiding the golf ball from the east groove and the south groove to the ball supplying device.

5. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball supplying device comprises:

a third motor fixed on the mainframe chest;

a crank with one end connected to the shaft of the third motor and the other end to the ball supplying arm;

a ball supplying arm with one end having a ball holder and the other end pivotally connecting to a supporter fixed on the mainframe chest;

a first spring connecting the ball supplying arm and the supporter;

a ball supplying groove fixed on the mainframe chest for guiding the golf ball from the ball holder to the immovable putt plate so as to supply the golf ball to the user;

a damping plate whose middle point is pivotally connected to the ball feeding hood, a first end is disposed below the ball holder and a second end connects to a second spring mounted on the mainframe chest so as to damp the ball holder falling down;

a ball feeding hood fixed on the mainframe chest for helping the golf ball to enter the ball holder; and

a sixth micro switch installed on the ball supplying groove for determining whether it is necessary or not to supply further a ball.

6. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein an ambient lighting cover is disposed above the mainframe chest and the golf green plate to prevent the photoelectric sensor from being interrupted by persons or moving objects nearby so as to assure the photoelectric sensor can accurately detect the golf ball passing through.

7. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pedal is installed beside one end and at the same level of the immovable putt plate for the user stepping thereon while putting a golf ball.

8. The golf green trainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photoelectric sensor is employed to count the number of balls passing through, the third micro switch is employed to count the number of balls putted into the hole, and a display device is installed on the electronic control chest for displaying the number of balls passing through and the number of balls putted into the hole.